During the contest that took place on July 8, 2023, in London, England, Australian athlete Eddie Williams broke the Nicol Stone Carry World Record with a distance of 31.66 meters. The famous stones weighed 114 kilograms (251.3 pounds) and 138 kilograms (304.2 pounds), respectively. Meanwhile, another American competitor, Trey Mitchell, set a new Viking Press World Record by finishing 18 repetitions of the eponymous overhead implement, which weighed 150 kilograms (330.6 pounds). By the competition’s end, Mitchell and Williams finished in fourth and fifth place overall.

The Nicol Stone Carry was the first event of the 2023 GLSC, meaning Williams effectively set the tone for the competition with his World Record. The athlete notably shattered the distance of the previous World Record holder Kevin Faires by over seven meters. Notably, Faires was also competing in the contest. Faires set the past Nicol Stone Carry mark at the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals with a carry of 24.61 meters.

Each of Williams, Faires, Singleton, and Mitchell Hooper eclipsed the previous record, but it was Williams who comfortably notched the farthest distance.

Given that the Castle Stones (or Atlas Stones) are a usual closer at strongman events, the Viking Press served as the climactic penultimate event of the 2023 GLSC. A battle that Mitchell shined in with his World Record. Mitchell’s record of 18 reps surpasses Paul Smith, who locked out 13 reps at the 2023 Giants Live Britain’s Strongest Man (GLBSM) for the past top number. Once again, several strongmen at the 2023 GLSC outperformed the previous Viking Press record, but Mitchell stood tallest in the showcase of overhead pressing endurance.

Mitchell will likely move forward by diving back into his training for the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) in August. The athlete is the two-time defending champion and could be the competitor who keeps the legendary Brian Shaw from winning his last-ever professional strongman contest. On the flip side, Williams is a former two-time Australia’s Strongest Man (ASM) champion (2017-2018) and figures to be someone to watch after notching his first top-five international finish since 2019.

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Sanou’s withdrawal has unfortunate timing as this year’s Strongman Classic will take place just a few days after, on July 9, 2022, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. Two-time Australia’s Strongest Man (ASM) Champion (2017-2018) Eddie Williams is Sanou’s official replacement. At the time of this writing, Sanou has not offered more specifics regarding his travel problems on any of his public platforms.

 

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Sanou’s withdrawal continues a recent string of departures from this year’s Strongman Classic. In mid-June 2022, Georgia’s Konstantine Janashia left the contest as Canada’s Maxime Boudreault filled in. Then, in early July 2022, former Britain’s Strongest Man (2020) Adam Bishop had to pull himself out of the competition after tearing his triceps. Fellow United Kingdom strongman Gavin Bilton took up that empty slot.

With the latest shuffle of athletes at the Strongman Classic now official, here is where the current roster stands:

2022 Strongman Classic Roster

• Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — Defending Champion
• Evan Singleton (United States) — 2021 second place
• Eddie Williams (Australia)
• Paul Smith (United Kingdom)
• Ken McClelland (United States)
• Maxime Boudreault (Canada)
• Rob Kearney (United States)
• Andy Black (United Kingdom)
• Mark Felix (United Kingdom)
• Spenser Remick (United States)
• Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom)
• Mitchell Hooper (Canada)

Here are the events for this year’s Strongman Classic:

2022 Strongman Classic Events

• Dumbbell Medley
• The Pillars of Hercules
• Farmer’s Carry for Distance
• Axle Deadlift
• Castle Stones

 

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Williams’ Return

At 29-years-old, Williams might still be seeking a major international breakthrough as a strongman. While he can boast two ASM titles, the athlete would undoubtedly like to make a bigger name for himself outside of his home country. According to Strongman Archives, Williams hasn’t competed in any contest in over two years. The 2022 Strongman Classic will mark his return.

Notably, Williams has been part of a Giants Live contest before, finishing in seventh place at the 2019 Giants Live North American Open. In addition, on another international stage, during his first and only appearance at the 2019 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), Williams was unable to make it past the Qualifying Round.

To notch a great result, Williams will face tough sledding from a field that features names like defending Strongman Classic Champion Oleksii Novikov and rising stars such as Wild Card Mitchell Hooper. The strongman sphere will ultimately see how Williams manages his return to competition on July 9, 2022, in London, England.

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